CM Siddaramaiah expresses concern over Rs 360 crore food wastage in Bengaluru
Announces plans to replace Anna Bhagya rice with grocery kits
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday raised alarm over the annual wastage of nearly 943 tonnes of food in Bengaluru, valued at approximately Rs 360 crore. Speaking at a World Food Day event organised by the Food and Civil Supplies Department, the CM called the trend deeply concerning.
“I know the pain of hunger, the value of rice, that’s why the Anna Bhagya scheme was implemented,” The New Indian Express quoted Siddaramaiah as saying.
Terming conscious food wastage as an act of arrogance towards food, he recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had called food wastage a sin.
He further said the government will take strict action against those involved in the black-marketing of Anna Bhagya rice. Siddaramaiah also announced that the additional 5 kg of rice will be replaced with a nutritional food kit that includes pulses and other essential items.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar echoed the concern and said the new kit would be named the Indira Kit. “The additional 5 kg of rice given under Anna Bhagya is being misused. In order to prevent it, the government is contemplating giving a grocery kit that includes oil, lentils, sugar, salt, and other items,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
